Hidden worlds
by Eva aka Pinkfox
Summary: Deanna and Beverly have a assignment by a first contact.


**_Disclaimer:__ All the characters are owned by __Paramount__. The planet Arshar is owned by me.  _**

Hidden words

Eva

_Counselor's logs, star date 54932.1_

_We are in orbit of Arshar for nine day's now. Since the welcome diner I have been constantly surprised about the power the women of this world carry. They may be hidden behind the medori and lazoto, but under neat lays a world of knowledge, skill and willpower. Helping the women in the Bazaar has helped us to see the good things of this world, but also the problems which are here. It will cost a lot of sweat, blood and tears, but this planet will be a good member of the Federation on day.  _

_***_

It all had started when the Captain had received a message from Starfleet Command. A senior staff meeting had been called a half hour later. 

When everybody was seated, the Captain started with: "We have received a new mission. There is a planet who wants to join the Federation. It's called Arshar. Their already have been a few small missions to this planet, but we have to make a main contact. Mr. Data, what do you have on this planet?"

Data stood up and moved to a screen on the wall. "Arshar is a planet located in the far corner of the Cirrona Nebula. The planet has one big continent in the tropical zone on the planet. Close to the coast there are rainforests, but the middle of the continent is mostly dessert, because of the lack of rainwater. It's inhabited by a race very close to humans, only the have adapted to the heat. Socially, the sexes live totally separated from each other. The women aren't allowed to have contact with any man then their husband, father and brothers. A man has several women. They live inside the house and the few times they come out, they are completely covert. The main city is in the east side of the continent. They discovered warp four years ago. Further information is on the PADD's." Data quickly distributed the PADD's and sat down. 

"Our mission is to further with the negotiations to become protected by the Federation. But the treatment of the women is a point which requires more research. Counselor Troi, Doctor Crusher, during the mission is this you're point to find out. You will be the first women to go to this planet. I have received instructions for you to go to the welcoming diner in their style of clothing." 

Deanna and Beverly exchanged glances and then Beverly spoke: "Understood." 

The Captain nodded: "As soon as this meeting is over, we will set a course for Arshar. Doctor, Counselor, you will have to start looking the data for your mission." 

Everyone stood up. "Aye, sir." 

Jean-Luc followed their example. "Dismissed." 

***

"Well, that's gonna be a warm evening." Deanna commented when she read what she was supposed to wear. 

"You can say that. First our dress uniform, then a long skirt, then the coat and finally how did they call it… the lazoto." Beverly agreed with her.

"Not to mention how to eat or move with it… I think should spend some time in these cloths before we even go down. We will arrive tomorrow. If I reserve a Holodeck for us tonight, we can practice a little." 

"Maybe that is a good idea. Tonight at eight o'clock? Holodeck 2?" 

"That's a deal." 

Suddenly Beverly's com-badge chirped. "Doctor, we need you in Sickbay." Alyssa Ogawa's voice sounded. 

Beverly hit her com-badge. "On my way." She quickly said goodbye to Deanna and left. 

***

Deanna met Beverly by the door of Holodeck 2. Both were wearing a black bundle over the arm. Deanna ordered to change in an Arshar dining room, without people and they entered. 

They looked around and saw a beautiful room. The walls were white, with bright colored drapes on decorating it. Mountains of pillows were lying in the corners of the room. There was a low table, set with divers' kinds of dishes. Around lay small carpets to sit on. 

Beverly stalled her cloths out and Deanna did the same. 

"Well, let's see if we can figure out how this works." Deanna said and pulled a PADD from somewhere." 

"We are supposed to wear this over the dress uniform. I believe this one goes first." Beverly replied, holding up a very, long black skirt. 

"You're right." Both quickly slit in the skirts, which reached from their waist till the floor, completely hiding their legs. Then they proceeded to a long, coat. It reached form their shoulders till their ankles and was very wide. 

"How was this one called?" Deanna asked, tugging her coat. 

Beverly consulted the PADD. "The medori." 

On the medori was a large hood which had to be pulled over their head. They pulled this over their head and suddenly a thin gauzy cloth fell before their faces.

Deanna tried a step and immediately tripped. Laughing she exclaimed: "I can't see a thing with this thing before my face." 

Both women walked around for a bit, getting used to the heavy skirts and the gauze before their faces. Then they turned to the final piece of clothing. It was nothing more then a large, black cloth. 

Deanna pulled the cloth before her face away and took the large cloth. "I believe this was called the lazoto." 

Beverly took the lazoto in both hands and maneuvered it so that it was behind her back. Then she pulled over her head and wrapped under her chin and around her shoulders. "I believe it must be worn like this?"  

Deanna consulted the PADD again. "Yip." Deanna also started maneuvering with the lazoto and managed to wrap it over her head and around her neck and shoulders. Then she shook her head to get the gauze before her face down. "How do I look?" she asked.

Beverly struggled to keep the lazoto in place while she lifted the gauze before her face. "I can't recognize you at all." 

Both women practiced walking around in their clothing and went then to trying to sit down without losing the lazoto. It ended up a few times in laughs, but they managed to get the hang of it. 

***

The next morning they arrived in the middle of the Alpha shift close to the sun of Arshar. Captain Picard called the senior staff together for one last meeting. "This evening at seven  the welcoming diner. I will go, accompanied by Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, Doctor Crusher and Mr. LaForge. You will be in command of the ship, Mr. Data." 

"Counselor, you have studied the data about the treatment of women. If there are women present tonight, how do we treat them? I couldn't find any directions about that in my data." Geordi asked. 

"I would advice that you ignore them as much as possible. I know this seems very rude, but it's already highly unusual that two or three women are gonna attend the diner. I suggest that you treat us much in the same way." Deanna answered. 

"Doctor, counselor, you will be relieved from the duties on this ship to carry out your mission." Picard said.  

A few more things were discussed. 

***

That evening Deanna and Beverly walked together towards Transporter room 1. They were wearing the medori, although they weren't wearing the hood yet and the lazoto hung over there arm.  

As soon as they entered and stood on the platform they took a few moments to pull the caps over their head and to wrap the lazoto around them selves. The men looked for a few moments, but then quickly joined at the transporter platform. 

Chief O'Brien fired up the transporter and all five dissolved in blue light. 

***

They materialized in a beautiful room. The walls were white, with bright colored drapes on decorating it. Mountains of pillows were lying in the corners of the room. Gold and silver shone everywhere. There was a low table, set with divers' kinds of dishes. Around lay small carpets to sit on, woven in patrons of red and black. In a corner hung a thick gauzy drape, shielding of a small part of the room.

Suddenly a deep voice sounded behind them and they quickly turned around, Deanna and Beverly two feet behind the men. "Welcome to Arshar. I am Jehamal, foreman of this city." Behind them were four other men, who were introduced as the city council. All five were dressed in white trousers and tunics, decorated with golden embroidery. They all had bronzed skins, dark hair and two of them had a small beard.  

Picard did a step forward. "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the starship Enterprise. This is my First Officer Will Riker and my Chief Engineer, Geordi LaForge." 

"And who are you other crewmen?" Jehamal asked in the tradition of his planet. The tradition was that a visiting man never introduced his women before there was asked for their names, if the host even saw the women. 

"This is Doctor Crusher. And that is Counselor Troi." Picard said, only indicating them slightly with his hand. 

Jehamal nodded and signaled with him arm behind his back. From behind the gauzy curtain came two women, both dressed exactly the same as Deanna and Beverly. "This is Jeseret and this is Mahan." 

Both women didn't say anything, but only walked around the men and guided Deanna and Beverly behind the gauzy curtain. "If the women eat there, they can show their face. It's much easier to eat." Jehamal explained and gestured towards the table. 

***

Deanna and Beverly followed the two women behind the curtain. There they sad down around a square table. 

The tallest of the two let the lazoto glide from her head and pulled the gauze away from her face. She had a bronzed skin, dark eyes and long lushes. "You can let your lazoto's go now." 

The smaller woman, Deanna and Beverly did the same and the woman spoke again. "I am Jeseret. I am the first kadin of Jehamal." She saw the confused looks. "I am his first wife." She clarified.

Then the smaller woman spoke: "I am Mahan. I am the third guzdeh of Jeseret. That means that as soon as I give him a child, I will become a kadin." Deanna and Beverly studied the woman's face. It was very young, they saw right now. 

Deanna smiled. "I am Deanna Troi. I am the ships counselor." Now she saw two confused looks. "My main job is helping people with psychological problems onboard." She quickly clarified. 

As last Beverly spoke: "I am Beverly Crusher. I am the ship's main doctor." At those words Jeseret's face brightened. Beverly noticed it. 

"Sorry, I am just a little bit excited. It's not often that I will have the chance to speak with a colleague from outside." Jeseret spoke.  

"You are a doctor?" Beverly inquired. 

"Yes. It's one of the few professions which women can choose on this world. But I will tell about that later." Jeseret clapped in her hands and two women came in, wearing a simple brown tunic. One carried a bottle and the other a big bowl of salad. Both made a curtsey and the woman with the bottle quickly started filling the goblets on the table, while the other served the salad. Then they disappeared again. 

All four started eating, occasionally taking a sip from the wine. Mahan suddenly asked a question. "Are you married?" 

Deanna and Beverly paused their bite and Jeseret said: "Mahan, you know that our guests might not be used to direct ways." Then she turned towards Deanna and Beverly. "I am sorry. We women on this planet are very direct to each other. In contrary to the males here." 

"I don't mind answering the question. I am a widow. I lost my husband in away mission more then ten years ago." Beverly answered the question. 

"I have been engaged. But I am perfectly satisfied with my friends." Deanna responded. 

"If you want, I am sure lady Saray can find husbands for you." Mahan said. They paused in their bite again. Beverly and Deanna quickly thanked for the honor. They ate some more salad and then the two women came in with four big parts of meat and served them out.  

"Who is lady Saray?" Deanna asked. 

"Jehamal's mother. She also lives in the maharim. The maharim is the part of the house where all the women live." Mahan explained. 

"With how many women do you live there?" 

"We live there with the women of this household. Lady Saray, four kadins, three guzdehs, eight daughters and a group of servants. You will meet them later." 

***

After the meat came a course of fruit and cakes. The four women stood up when finished and the two servants quickly helped them with the lazoto's. Then Jeseret and Mahan guided them to the maharim. 

They ended in a hallway. The two servants quickly helped them with removing the lazoto's, the medori's and the long skirts. Beverly and Deanna were surprised when they saw the clothing of Jeseret and Mahan. 

Both wore a loose silken skirt which fell to their ankles. It was attached to a wide belt, which was decorated with gold and silver. They wore bra tops, decorated with strings of small golden coins on the front side. The strings on the sides fell down to their belts. On the backside there were silken sheets in the same color as the skirt which felt down to the waist. Their feet were stuck in sandals. Around their arms blinked several golden bracelets and around their neck lay a necklace. In their ears shone big ear bells and in their hair was decorated with several ornaments. 

Jeseret was dressed in sky blue and Mahan in a light pink. Jeseret turned towards the two women and asked: "Ready to go in?" 

At their nod, the two servants opened the door and they entered a big room, even more decorated then the dining room. In the middle of the chamber lay an old woman on a sofa. Five younger women were seated comfortably around her and on pillows on the floor sat eight girls, the eldest about fourteen years old, the youngest about four. All wore the same kind of outfits. There were four empty seats. Jeseret, Mahan, Beverly and Deanna quickly took the seats.

"This is lady Saray, the mother of Jehamal. This are Merylla, Amara and Neresta, the second, third and fourth kadin. Those are Nastaran and Kotaya, the first and second guzdeh. And these are our daughters: Lindya, Anya, Avarya, Melika, Ishara, Xatima, Freni and Lieslin. These are Deanna Troi and Beverly Crusher." 

Lady Saray looked them up and down. "O, my Goodness. You look terrible in those cloths. Ali, Mena, please let them take a bath and cloth them appropriately, as a woman of their rank deserves." Two girls in brown tunics came forward on Saray's words. 

Saray saw the perplexed looks on Deanna and Beverly's faces. "I am sorry, my children. I didn't mean to overwhelm you. But you deserve to be better dressed than these, these rags. They look very uncomfortable to me. Let Ali and Mena take care of you and then we will talk." 

Deanna and Beverly let themselves be guided away, towards one of the big doors in the room. 

***

Deanna let out a contented sigh. "This feels good." She said, while she stretched out in the warm water. 

Beverly, lying in the tub besides her, immediately agreed. After a little while both climbed out of the tub. Ali and Mena immediately approached them with two large towels and helped them to dry themselves of. 

Then the two women started clothing them. Ali started with handing them back their panties, making both women blush a bit. Ali and Mena debated for a few moments, while holding up several pieces colored cloth. Finally they seemed to decide on something.

Ali approached Deanna with a soft purple cloth. She hooked the belt around Deanna's waist and started arranging the pieces of skirt so that they fell right. Mena did the same to Beverly with a skirt in a bright turquoise.

Then followed a bra top in the same color. They were with wide bands over the shoulders and it closed on the back. Dozens strings of golden coins decorated the top. Then Ali and Mena began attaching the flowing back covering, also made of the same colored silk.  

The jewelry was next. A large number of golden bracelets were shoved over both arms. Then both servants engaged in a discussion again. They were comparing earrings. They decided on two golden flowers with a purple heart in the middle of the flower for Deanna. For Beverly they decided on two small webs made of gold filigree. Small pieces of a blue-green gem glittered in the soft light. Ali and Mena quickly put them in their ears. 

A necklace was fastened around their neck and then the hair had to be brushed out. Deanna's hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and fastened with a golden clasp. Beverly's hair was pulled back slightly and was being held in place by two small clips. 

Finally the servants dove in a closet and rooted around for sandals in the right size. In the mean time Deanna searched in their old cloths and found the two com-badges. She handed one to Beverly and the other she pinned on her top. When Ali and Mena saw that they gave a shriek. 

"Milady, that absolutely ruins the affect." Ali protested. 

"It's a communications device. We must keep it with us all the time." Deanna explained. 

Mena handed her pair of sandals to Ali and returned to rooting around in the closet. Shaking her head, Ali put the sandals on. Soon Mena returned with two small bags, one in soft purple and the other in turquoise. 

"If we put these in on your belt, would it work then, Milady?" she asked. 

Beverly nodded and Mena fastened it on their belts. "You can see yourself now." She said and gestured towards a big mirror.  

Deanna and Beverly turned towards the mirror and where shocked by their appearance. Especially Deanna with her dark hair looked exactly like an Arshar woman.        

***

Saray surveyed them up and down when they returned. "This looks much better, my children. Please take a seat. It's the first time we have otherworldly visitors here."

Beverly and Deanna quickly took a seat and Beverly spoke: "Thank you. We are both very curious to your culture."

"Of course. That's logical. To be honest, we are the same. Do you already have any questions you would like to ask?" 

"Jeseret mentioned something about being a doctor as one of the few professions women can choose from." Deanna asked. 

Jeseret nodded. "Women of the wealthier families can go to school and also choose a profession if the father allows it. Women can't choose from many professions. We can choose from doctor, nurse or teacher. And for the not so wealthy families there is some education about being a nanny or sometimes nurse. It's all held in the Bazaar. We will take you there in a few day's. We all work there daily." 

Saray jumped in with an explanation: "Or else we can hang out here all day. In the Bazaar the women of this city find education and medical care, something that other cities sometimes lack. Jehamal likes well-educated women and he is the main supporter of the Bazaar." 

The evening was spent with just getting to know each other a little. Jeseret wasn't the only doctor in the maharim. Merylla and Amara, two of the other kadins and Nastaran, one of the guzdehs were doctors. Mahan and Kotaya were teachers, just like the Neresta. Lady Saray spent her day coordinating everything in the Bazaar. The older daughters helped while being educated and the younger were being taught there.   

***

When Deanna and Beverly signaled on their com-badges that they had to return to the ship, two of the servants directly helped them with the skirts, lazoto and medori. Two others went to get their dress uniforms. 

When everything was ready, Saray spoke again. "You may keep the cloths and the jewelry. When we go to the Bazaar we usually wear simpler clothing. You can keep that in mind for tomorrow." 

Deanna and Beverly quickly said goodbye and Mahan guided them back to the main dining room. 

***

Next morning Beverly and Deanna started working on their report till it was time to prepare for their trip down. Beverly filled her medical kit and Deanna gathered a few PADD's. They had elected to wear their normal uniforms, but to go down they had to wear the black garments over it. 

Right on time they headed to the transporter room and were beamed down. Down a servant quickly guided them to the maharim. Saray and the other women were dressed exactly the same. 

"It's good to see you again, children. Shall we go?" Saray said. The group headed outside, to small carriages. Deanna and Beverly sat in a carriage together with Saray and Jeseret. 

"Jeseret, in the data I read yesterday I noticed that humans and the Arshar have almost exact the same DNA as humans." 

"That is possible. Can I see a human string?" Jeseret asked and Beverly and she started discussing over a PADD. 

In the meantime Deanna was talking with Saray about the Bazaar. "The Bazaar is a place for especially the not so wealthy women. They can find medical care; help for in case of problems and education for their daughters. Our group works there, and the women in the maharim two of my son's friends. It was the first facility for the less wealthy women in the city. Jehamal has been spreading the idea to the other cities."   

After a ride from fifteen minutes they came by an enormous white building. The group headed around it, to a side entrance. Inside everyone took the black clothing of and the normal clothing of women in the maharim appeared. It was a simple tunic and long skirt, but in very bright colors. 

Saray looked Beverly and Deanna up and down. "That's better then the outfit yesterday. I will give you a tour." 

The other women headed out to their work. Saray first guided them to her office. It was in a room with two other desks. "Would you like to drink something?"  

Deanna and Beverly accepted a drink and Saray explained about the history of the Bazaar. Then Saray showed them around. First she guided them to them to the hospital part. "It's maybe not so advanced as on the ship, but it's a big difference when there isn't any medical care for women. In the maharims of the richer people one of the women usually had medical knowledge, but for the other women there was nothing." 

Saray showed them around in consulting-rooms and then showed them a few of the wards. On that moment they saw Jeseret walking into a ward where form crying sounded. 

Beverly and Deanna peeked inside the room and saw a little girl lying on the bed, writing in pain. Jeseret was pressing something against the little girl's neck. The crying came from a woman besides the bed. She had a torn lazoto over her head, but it was clear that it was the girl's mother. 

Jeseret looked up and saw them looking: "Come inside." 

Beverly and Deanna joined Jeseret by the bed, while Saray waited outside. "What's wrong with her?" Beverly asked.

"A bacteria. It causes a high fever and cramps. People like us, with a good resistance can handle the infection, but this bacterium is one of the main dead causes among the poorer children. She isn't reacting on the antibiotics we have given her. The only thing we can do now, is giving her something against the cramps." 

"May I take a look?" Beverly asked. At Jeseret's nod, she got her own tricorder from her medical kit and started scanning the girl. 

The mother of the girl stopped crying and looked at the strange women around her daughter's bed. "Who are you, milady?" she asked. 

Deanna sat down besides the mother, while Jeseret explained shortly who they were. The woman nodded and Deanna sensed the littlest bit of hope rising in her. "What is the name of the girl?" 

"Avi. She is only four years old. She is such a sweet girl. She is my only daughter. I have lost my other daughters." The mother told. 

"That is very hard. What is your name?" 

"Avena." 

"I am Deanna Troi." 

"What is your friend doing?" Avena asked. 

"She is scanning Avi, looking for herself what is wrong with her." Deanna explained and saw Beverly snapping the handheld scanner piece back on the top of the tricorder. 

Beverly saw Deanna's gaze. "The fever is very high, but it hasn't started to affect her vital organs." She said. 

Jeseret nodded. "But it won't be long before it does. We can't help her anymore. She isn't reacting to our strongest antibiotics. If you can help her, please do so." 

Beverly then turned to Avena: "Do you want us to try? There is no guarantee that it will help."  

"That doesn't matter to me. Just try." 

Beverly nodded and hit her com-badge. "Crusher to Sickbay." 

"Sickbay here." 

"Alyssa, could you arrange that 30 mg of trizine is beamed down directly, locking in on the signal of my combadge?" 

"It will be there in a few minutes." The comlink closed and within a few minutes a small gray box appeared in Beverly's hands.  Quickly preparing the hypospray, she said: "Let's see how she reacts on this. Jeseret, is it good that I am back in three hours to check on her?" 

Jeseret nodded and Beverly gave the girl the hypospray. 

***

Saray showed them the rest of the Bazaar. Then she had to go to work. Beverly decided to go back to the hospital part, wanting to see more of the medical technology of the planet. Deanna got in a conversation with Mahan, who told her more about the classes they gave. 

***

Jeseret made her rounds in the wards. She thought about Deanna and Beverly. When Saray told her about their arrival, she had dreaded it. She had thought when she heard that there wasn't any separation and that men and women could have the same functions, that there wouldn't be any value for the women. In her culture women were honored for their ability to give birth and to protect that ability the women lived separated form the males. It was the belief in their culture that males could take away that ability. Even though the most women knew how it really went.

She had been afraid that those people wouldn't understand their habits. Just like the habit of having more then one women. One of the biological traits of her planet was that much more women were born then men. Unfortunately a few centuries ago some men had decided that women didn't need outside medical attention or any outside help, because of there were so many of them. Now that vision had begun to change, certainly when they had discovered warp four years ago and they had made First Contact.  

Also she had had a total wrong image of the women who would come. She had thought about two arrogant women, who thought they could do nothing because they lived in the maharim. But what she had seen had been a relieve. Deanna and Beverly were very open to her culture and Beverly directly had offered to help. And they were quite feminine in her eyes, in contrary with what she had expected. 

What she also had liked was the reaction of them to Avi and Avena. Beverly has almost direct offered help and also Deanna had been very gentle to Avena. Without them it had been sure that Avi would have died. Now she had a chance. 

She was aware that Beverly and Deanna had to make a report about their way of living. That didn't matter to her. What did matter was that the why was clear. 

Suddenly she heard a voice behind her. "Can I do something to help?" 

Jeseret looked up and saw Beverly standing behind her. Jeseret smiled. "I was just my round to check everyone's condition. You can give me hand with that. If you want to start at that side of the ward?" 

Beverly nodded and walked to the other side, pulling out her tricorder. 

No, till so far everything saw very good to Jeseret. 

***

"What do think so far, Counselor?" the Captain asked. 

"The women are in many areas behind the man. But there are clearly signals this is changing. The Bazaar is one example. Two generations ago most women had no education. Now most women in this city have some education. But two day's aren't long enough to form a complete image." Deanna told. 

"Doctor?" 

"I agree with the Counselor. And we only have the visual of this city. But in most other cities something like the Bazaar are also forming." 

"Thanks for your view. Is there anything else that someone wants to discuss?" 

"Yes, I have something. We have all received several gifts from the planet. With your permission I would like to give some gifts." 

"Did you have something in mind?"

"Actually, yes. In the Bazaar they have some kind of medical scanners, but they aren't that efficient. Jeseret spoke about it. I thought about giving a number of medical tricorders." Beverly stated her idea. 

The Captain quickly thought about it. "It's a good idea, Doctor. You can give ten, twelve of them."  

"Aye Sir." 

***

The next seven day's Beverly and Deanna looked and helped in the world of the women. Beverly's gift was appreciated and Jeseret and the other doctors quickly learned to work with it. The report of Deanna and Beverly grew with the day. They realized that the Arshar culture was a very complicated one, with many traditions. Though the culture was very different, Beverly and Deanna felt at home with the women in maharim. They got a little used to the medori and lazoto and when they were down on the planet they wore native clothing. 

They each found their own place in the Bazaar. Beverly helped in the medical section, while Deanna became what nobody had thought she would become. Deanna became a teacher. In the Bazaar she gave a few classes about the basics of psychology. Also she assisted with the classes of teenage girls. 

***

The morning of the tenth day started like all the other. Deanna and Beverly arrived in time to have breakfast, like they had been doing the last couple of days. From their Starfleet uniforms they had switched to the bright colored skirts and tunics from Arshar. They had noticed that it made the people in the Bazaar more comfortable when they wore those cloths. 

After breakfast they were gathering by the gate, when Mahan suddenly ran away. A few moments later she returned, gulping a glass of water. 

Jeseret eyes her carefully. "You have been sick the last few mornings, Mahan. Are you feeling alright?"

"It's almost my time again. Only my breasts are a little sore." Mahan said and she handed the glass to a servant and pulled her lazoto in place. 

Saray and Beverly had also been listening. "I don't think you're time will be coming soon, Mahan." Saray said. Then she turned towards the others. You go. Mahan can ride with us for this time." 

All the women went towards the carriages, except Saray, Jeseret, Deanna, Beverly and Mahan.

When they were alone, Mahan turned to Saray. "What do you mean?" 

Jeseret answered in her place. "I think you're pregnant." 

Mahan turned white under the gauze. "What!?" 

"I don't have a scanner or tricorder here. We can confirm it at the Bazaar." Jeseret said. 

Beverly had digging her medical kit from under the black layers of cloth. Then she took out her tricorder. "I have my tricorder with me." Beverly looked quickly around and spotted a divan. "If you lay down there, Mahan, I can take a scan." 

Mahan looked from the one to the other. Jeseret took her arm and guided her to the divan. Ma-hal pulled her lazoto and medori away from her stomach. Beverly pulled her lazoto and the hood of her medori away and sat down on the edge of the divan. She pulled the scanner piece from its casing and started the scan. A few moments later she replaced it and checked the reading. "You're pregnant. About three weeks." she told. 

Mahan was silent for a few seconds. Then a happy smile pulled over her face. "I am really pregnant?" she whispered. 

Beverly nodded. "You are really pregnant." 

Saray and Jeseret looked very happy and Saray turned to a servant. "Get Lord Jehamal here, now." The girl ran away. 

Beverly stood up and pulled her black robes around her again. 

Soon Jehamal came running in. "What is wrong, mother?" 

Saray smiled. "Mahan here is pregnant. Doctor Crusher just confirmed it." 

Jehamal turned toward his third guzdeh. "Then you will become my fifth kadin. We will celebrate the ceremony as soon as possible." 

Suddenly a servant came to him, bowed and whispered something in his ear. Then he left again. Jehamal turned towards all the women. "I am afraid there is an emergency. Look after Mahan." he said and ran away again.

The woman made their way to the last carriage and entered. 

***

It happened in the middle of the street. Suddenly Deanna veered up. "Something is not good…." she uttered. 

She hadn't the time to complete her line, because outside the air was suddenly filled with screams, phaser wines and the sounds of something exploding. 

A moment later something exploded closed to the carriage and everything became black.

***

She was laying on something hard. Her head was pounding and some places on her face ached. Slowly she forced her eyes open. It was quite dark around her, but when she looked around her, she could see four other dark shapes. 

Beverly slowly pushed herself up. She lay on prickly floor. In the vague light she could see stone walls and a very small window in the wall. Looking at the floor, she saw stone covered with some kinds of mats.  

The first thing she did was reaching up to see if she still had her combadge. She didn't feel the little object. But she did feel something hard pressing in her side. She reached under her medori and she pulled out her medical kit. "Well, that's something." she murmured and took her tricorder out. She opened it and quickly scanned herself. The only thing she could find wrong with herself where a few small bruises on her own face. After reaching in the medical kit again and pressing the hypospray in her neck, she was relieved to feel the pounding disappear. 

Then she turned to the others. Luckily she couldn't find any injuries, except a few little bruises. They apparently had been knocked out by the blast. She grabbed anther hypospray and started waking the others up. 

***

Beverly groaned in frustration. 

Deanna, who was sitting besides her, turned towards her. "What's wrong?" 

"I have been trying to get a reading of this place, but the walls off this place seem to stop the scanning. I can get a reading of us, but nothing on the outside." 

"I think my head is cleared enough to get a view of the situation." And Deanna closed her eyes. "I sense three people. There aren't any other people nearby… There are two males and one female… The two males are proud…violent… The female is feeling uneasy…afraid.........

…One of them isn't Arsharian…………………….Arghh." Deanna's eyes flew open, tears streaming from her eyes. 

"What's wrong?" 

"I don't know. I was trying to probe the man who wasn't Arsharian. Suddenly he blocked me out. No, he threw me out.  He isn't telepathic or something, but can he can block probes like one." 

Jeseret sat down by them. Together with Saray she had been comforting Mahan. "Where are you talking about? How does Deanna know how many people there are outside?" 

"With my empathy. If you use it in the right way you can sense how many people there are close to yourself."

Jeseret signaled Saray and Mahan to come and Deanna told what she had sensed. 

"How can we get out of here? You don't have your combadges and we don't have any weapons." Mahan said. 

"We don't have combadges, but once we are outside I can modify the tricorder to emit a signal. Something my son taught me. And for weapons, we have hypospray's with a sedative. All we have to do, is getting them inside." Beverly said. 

"And how do we do that?" Saray asked. 

"Making some noise. When they get in, Beverly and I can stand by the door and sedate them from behind." 

Saray over thought the idea. "They wouldn't expect the attack from the back. Certainly because we are just women. But if I were you, I would do it without the medori and associated garments."

Deanna and Beverly started taking their black garments of and Beverly loaded four hypospray's. She handed two to Deanna and put one of the hypo's in her belt. Deanna did the same and together they moved towards the door. Mahan sat down in a corner of the room after an order from Saray. 

Jeseret started calling towards the figures outside. "Is someone there? We would like to know what the meaning is of this. Hello?" Jeseret kept calling and Saray soon started to call also. 

Suddenly the door swung open to the outside and a figure appeared in the doorway. It was clad in black robes and moved very hesitating. Beverly cursed softly. The robes were to thick for the hypospray.

 Jeseret realized this and moved forwards. She grabbed the woman's wrist and pulled inside. The woman screamed and they heard footsteps. Jeseret pulled the woman further inside and a man entered a weapon in his hand. 

When he had passed the doorway, Deanna acted. Her arm lashed out and the hypospray found a target on the bare shoulder of the man. He seemed surprised for a second, but then slowly sunk to the ground. 

The other man followed within a few seconds. He stormed inside and immediately lashed out to Jeseret. Jeseret ducked and he hit the woman in the black robes. She immediately sagged to the ground. 

Beverly jumped forward and pressed the hypospray in his bare shoulder. Deanna had grabbed her other hypospray and did the same on the exact the same moment. The man immediately sagged towards the ground.  

The five women sighed relieved and Beverly and Deanna grabbed the shoulder of the last man and started dragging him outside. Then they repeated the procedure on the other man. Jeseret had been busy with removing the woman's robes. 

When the two men were in the light she called Deanna and Beverly. Together they carried the woman carefully outside. There they saw the bleeding wound on the woman's temple. It was clothed towards the hood of the medori. 

Beverly grabbed her tricorder and started scanning the woman. Deanna moved over to the men. "Look, I already know what caused the wound. His hand is covered with rings with sharp points." 

Saray came outside and handed Beverly the rest of her medkit. Beverly thanked her and spoke with Jeseret, who went to work with a dermal regenerator. Beverly started tinkering with the tricorder. Mahan gathered the black garments from Deanna and Beverly, then found some rope and started tying the men up, helped by Saray.  

***

Twelf minutes after Beverly had finisher with the tricorder blue light appeared outside.  A few second later a head peered inside. The Arsharian women had their lazoto and hood of the medori of down and when Mahan spotted the head, she gave a shriek and scrambled for her hood. 

Deanna looked up and recognized the head. "Will, wait outside till I give the signal. They aren't wearing the medori and lazoto correctly." 

Will pulled his head back. Saray, Jeseret and Mahan corrected their clothing and Beverly pulled the lazoto partly before the face of the unconscious woman. Deanna and Beverly only pulled their lazoto's around themselves like a cape, for Saray's ease.    

Then Deanna signaled them that the people outside could enter. Will entered, followed by Worf and some security personnel.  

"Will, I am glad you're here. The men are wrapped up, ready to go. But we need an anti-grav stretcher beamed down." Beverly said. 

Will surveyed the situation and smiled. "I should have known that I could leave Worf and his men at home." Then he hit his combadge and they started going back to the Enterprise. 

***

Deanna and Beverly were sitting besides Jeseret. On the other sides sat Saray. On the line behind them sat the other kadins. The last two lines contained the two guzdehs, except Mahan, and the daughters. 

Everyone was even dressed more ordinate then on the welcoming diner. Saray was the one who helped Deanna and Beverly select their clothing. It was basically the same as the outfits they had been given, but there were differences. 

The cloth was embroidered with golden patterns. The sheets in the back fell till their ankles. The belts and the coins weren't covered with small gems. Together with the normal jewelry they also wore several rings and an ankle bracelet. The earrings were long and tinkled on the women's shoulders. Everyone's hair was worn loose, decorated with all kinds of golden ornaments, decorated with gems. 

Beverly had chosen for a dark pink outfit. It was embroidered with small flowers. Her earrings and hair ornaments were webs of small roses with a dark pink gem. Deanna had fallen for cream-colored ensemble. It set of her dark hair and tanned skin. It was embroidered with small abstract figures. Her earrings were a construction of small golden chains and pieces of clear crystal. The ornaments for her hair were simple circles with a clear crystal.

It was the party of Mahan's affirmation of being a kadin. The women were sitting on one side of the room; the men were on the other side. Normally the women would be hidden behind a gauzy curtain, but Geordi had fabricated a force field that made the images of the women hazy for the watchers, but the women could see perfectly trough it.

Jehamal shove a bracelet around Mahan's arm, a bracelet that symbolized her new position. Mahal made a small curtsey and headed back behind the force field where she sat down besides Saray. After a few more words the women headed back to the maharim to party. 

***

Next morning the Enterprise had to leave. Deanna and Beverly were returning their party cloths. Behind them was a female ensign holding a large crate. 

After they had handed their party cloths to a girl in a brown tunic, Beverly signaled the female ensign to come forward. "A gift for the given hospitality." she told when the ensign set the crate down. 

Jeseret opened the crate and when she saw what was in it, her face turned in on big smile. It was filled with medical tricorders, hypospray's and PADD's. Saray looked also and smiled. She signaled a servant nearby and gave a few orders.

Ten minutes later two girls appeared, each carrying a wooden box. One was handed to Deanna, the other to Beverly. When they opened the box, they saw the party clothing they had worn.

"Consider it a farewell present." Saray said. A girl handed her a small wooden box. Saray then handed it to the ensign, who opened it. Then she showed it her superiors, showing a pair of earrings, made of gold with orange gems. She quickly thanked and stepped back. 

Beverly and Deanna also said goodbye and Deanna hit her combadge. "Three to beam directly to the Enterprise." They looked at the women once more. "Energize."

**The end**


End file.
